A better year, perhaps:
by Gerhard Berger.
F1 Racing, February 1997.

The answer to your first question is yes. Yes, I have driven the new Benetton-Renault B197. What's it like? Sorry don't
ask me. The miserable weather at Silverstone meant I could do little more than ensure all the systems were working properly. Still, this test was very important, because it enabled us to get a few miles on the car before we start testing in earnest. Everyone did a great job to get the car ready before Christmas; now we have two full months of concentrated testing to be in top shape before Melbourne on March 9.

I'm certainly feeling a lot happier about the start of this year than I was 12 months ago. Back then, I was still fighting off pneumonia and hadn't been able to keep up my fitness programme over the winter. When I finally got to drive the B196, I wasn't properly prepared. Thus, I wasn't comfortable pushing it to the edge, which led to a rocky start to the Benetton-Berger marriage. It's amazing how far things have progressed since then. Thanks to a lot of hard work during the year, we improved the car and my relationship with the team. We made mistakes in 1996, but that has hardened our resolve to make 1997 a great deal better, which I am confident we can do.

I am sure my New Year's wish is the same as that of every other driver: the championship. It's been the same for the last 14 seasons, only this time it looks a tougher task than ever. I'm certainly glad to be starting this season in familiar surroundings, because to have a serious chance of the title I reckon you've got to be picking up top three places right from the start. There haven't been any major regulation changes - the cars are similar to last year's, so I expect competition to be even tighter. I'll certainly be more competitive than I was at the start of last year, but then so will most of the opposition. Michael Schumacher is now a lot more comfortable with Ferrari. He's going to be even stronger this year with a car built to his own liking, a now well-sorted V10 engine and a team that's ripe for a resurgence.

Williams have had a turbulent time over the winter. I can only hope that they will lose out a bit now that Adrian Newey won't be looking after the car this season, a factor that has always given them the edge. The question on everyone's lips is how will Heinz-Harald Frentzen fare? There's little doubt that he's a talented driver and will win races. But I'm sure it will take valuable time before he knows the car and the team. Remember: Jacques Villeneuve is in only his second season of Formula 1. With what's going on at Williams, we can only hope that they're not as far ahead as they were at Melbourne last year.

Rumour has it that Newey will probably end up at McLaren - that could be bad news for the rest of us. He could well be the catalyst that brings McLaren bouncing back to the top. The Mercedes engine improved a lot last year, and their two drivers are no slouches. They could be strong contenders for the title. So what about the wild cards? With a driver like Damon Hill and Bridgestone tyres, Tom Walkinshaw's revitalised TWR-Arrows team are likely to pull a few surprises - especially in the wet. And at Jordan it will be interesting to see how the second Schumacher performs; let's hope not as well as his brother!

Ex-world champions are making a comeback this year. Not Nigel Mansell, it seems, but Alain Prost and Jackie Stewart with their own teams. Soon, there'll be more champions in the pitlane than on the track! With 17 races ahead of us, it's going to be a long, tough season. Although that number might lessen if the 'Imola aftermath' is not sorted out. Even if nothing comes of it, the fact that it has gone as far as criminal proceedings is ridiculous. We all accept that, for whatever reason, accidents will happen, especially in a sport like F1. Do Italians charge the rope manufacturer if a mountain climber gets killed? Why do it because it's F1?

I'm sure people are killed taking part in sports in Italy all the time without the same reaction, including a countryman of mine, Roland Ratzenberger, who died at Imola the same weekend as Ayrton Senna. It would seem that it's not why but who that is motivating this whole affair. I'm sure Ayrton would have been the last person to have wanted such negative action that brings no good to the sport, whatever the outcome might be. Let's hope 1997 will be a safe and exciting season. It will certainly be close, and I hope that my New Year's wish finally comes true!

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